As she prepares to film her first major movie role, Ciara remains calm. The hit-making singer, who will star in an adaptation of the gospel musical “Mama, I Want to Sing!” isn’t nervous – not now, at least.

Any butterflies, she says, will arrive closer to the shoot, which begins this month in Baton Rouge, La. For now, she’s “excited more than anything.”

Ciara, the voice of the chart-topping albums “Goodies” and “Ciara: The Evolution,” will portray Amara, a preacher’s daughter who transforms from church choir singer to international pop superstar. The movie, based on the hit off-Broadway production that opened in 1984, also stars Patti LaBelle and Lynn Whitfield.

“I want to learn as much as I can. … I want to be a sponge on the set,” said Ciara, who has a singing scene with R&B legend LaBelle.

“Mama,” which will be distributed by Codeblack Entertainment under 20th Century Fox’s FoxFaith label, is slated for release next year.

When approached to do the movie, Ciara was delighted because she had hoped to fit an acting gig into her schedule this year. “When this came, I was like, `Oh, perfect,’ you know?” said the singer-songwriter, who goes on tour next month.

She takes the craft seriously.

“I just want to be an amazing actress,” she says. “I’m looking forward to a great career and I’m looking forward to many more film experiences, you know, and definitely just becoming my own.”

Bob Geldof gest his message outBob Geldof took over for a day as the editor of Germany’s biggest-selling newspaper, which appeared Friday with an impassioned front-page plea for the country’s leaders to “end the misery” in Africa.

Geldof’s turn in the chair at the mass-circulation Bild daily came as German Chancellor Angela Merkel prepares to host next week’s Group of Eight summit in Heiligendamm, where she has pledged to make Africa a major issue.

Bild’s front page carried a large picture of an emaciated child inside the outline of Africa. “End this! Now!” read the headline.

A front-page Geldof commentary told German leaders that “you can change things and people want you to. … Do your job! End the misery, finally!”

Among other contributions: President Bush underlined his commitment to fighting HIV/AIDS in Africa and elsewhere, U2 singer Bono echoed Geldof’s call for the West to help Africa and “Ocean’s Thirteen” star George Clooney highlighted the violence in Sudan’s Darfur region.

Geldof, 52, organized the Live Aid concerts in 1985 to benefit victims of famine in Ethiopia and the Live 8 concerts in 2005 for African debt relief. The former frontman of The Boomtown Rats has dedicated much of his career to advocating on behalf of humanitarian causes.

The paper also published a Geldof interview with Merkel, who pledged that “we will make progress in Heiligendamm that will move Africa forward.”

In comments released before the paper’s publication, Merkel said Germany’s development aid for poorer countries would be increased by some $1 billion next year.

Romanian director credits country for his successCristian Mungiu, the first Romanian to win the Cannes Film Festival’s top prize, says his country’s recent movie output helped him win the award.

Mungiu’s low-budget “4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days,” a harrowing film about illegal abortion in communist-era Romania, beat 21 movies by well-known directors such as Quentin Tarantino and Ethan and Joel Coen to win this year’s Palme d’Or.

“I don’t know why this (success) is happening here and now,” Mungiu told reporters Thursday. “If it had been presented in 2001 or 2002, I think there would have been a tiny chance it would have won.”

He has said “4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days” shows how people’s choices are affected by the political system, indoctrination and stereotyping. The film had a budget of $671,000.

Mungiu, in his first appearance in Romania since winning the award on May 27, said filmmaking in the country had improved.

“We are going back to the simplicity of the story. Before the story was told in a twisted and complicated way,” the 39-year-old director said. “Cinema audiences want the story.”

Mungiu said he’s received offers to work in Hollywood, but first wants to complete his trilogy about life under communism that began with “4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days.”

He also said he didn’t have tickets for the party at the end of the Cannes festival on the French Riviera.

Mungiu finally showed up at the bash and showed his award. “Is this good enough?” he asked.

New mother Katie Holmes wants more kidsBeing the mother of Tom Cruise’s baby daughter has been so much fun that Katie Holmes tells “Entertainment Tonight” she’s ready to have more children.

“We’re having the best time, it’s so amazing,” Holmes, 28, said of the year she and Cruise have spent largely out of the spotlight. She gave birth to the couple’s first child, Suri, in April 2006.

“Yes, definitely,” she told the TV program when asked about the possibility of more kids. The interview airs Monday.

Cruise and his ex-wife, Nicole Kidman, have a 12-year-old son and 15-year-old daughter, and Holmes said the role of stepmother is one she relishes.

“The kids are so sweet, they’re so great with Suri and she lights up when she sees them,” she said. “We have so many kids in our house, there’s always this wonderful chatter and the great noise of kids.”

The actress, who recently returned to work filming the movie “Mad Money” with Diane Keaton and Queen Latifah, said her 44-year-old husband has played a key role in making the transition to motherhood easy.

“He’s a great father and so it came to no shock that when we had Suri he was amazing with the baby,” she said.

Affleck pays tribute disabled teen friendBen Affleck cracked jokes about his film career during a high-school commencement speech Friday while giving a heartfelt tribute to a graduating student he befriended years ago.

Students at Falls Church High School in Fairfax, Va., and family members gave a standing ovation to Affleck following his commencement speech, in which he praised 19-year-old Joe Kindregan, a disabled student he met in 1998 on a film shoot. The two built a close friendship.

“Everything I learned about life that really matters … I learned from Joe,” Affleck told the audience.

Kindregan suffers from ataxia-telengiectasia, a rare, degenerative genetic disease. Over the past decade, Affleck has helped Kindregan raise money to develop a cure for the disease.

The close nature of the pair’s friendship was evident at Friday’s ceremony; Affleck planted a kiss on Kindregan’s forehead after being introduced and later playfully swatted him with a rolled-up program.

The two met in 1998 when the Kindregans came to Dulles International Airport to watch a crew shoot the film “Forces of Nature,” which starred Affleck. The actor noticed Kindregan, then 10 years old, in his wheelchair and struck up a conversation.

Affleck jokingly explained to the 284 graduating seniors – who most likely never saw the film – that “it was very similar to another movie called “Citizen Kane.”‘

Affleck said Kindregan has since been on the set of all of his films – “He liked being on the set of `Daredevil’ a lot more than being on the set of (box-office bomb) `Gigli.’ But he was too polite to mention it,” Affleck said.

Kindregan introduced Affleck to the audience by saying “He is married to the cutest girl (Jennifer Garner) … but most important he is the best friend you could ever have.” Kindregan declined to be interviewed.

Affleck, dressed in a traditional graduation gown, sat on the dais next to Kindregan and other school officials and shook hands with students who came up on stage to receive their diplomas. A few were bold enough to ask for a hug, and Affleck obliged.

“He’s a good hugger,” said graduate Melinda Wodatch. She said Affleck’s presence added to a memorable event. “I think all the kids were actually listening to his speech,” she said.

Garner attended the graduation but did not participate in the ceremonies.

Jeremy Sisto to lay down law on TV seriesJeremy Sisto is joining the police force on “Law & Order” next season.

Sisto, who starred on “Kidnapped” last season, will return to NBC as a detective on “Law & Order,” said Dick Wolf, the series’ executive producer. The crime drama will begin its 18th year when it returns to the air in midseason.

Although Sisto guest-starred on the series’ 17th-season finale last month as a defense attorney, he will be playing a new character with the New York Police Department. He is expected to replace Milena Govich, who played Detective Nina Cassady.

“I have watched Jeremy’s career evolve and grow, and I am absolutely thrilled that he has decided to join `Law & Order,”‘ Wolf said in a statement Friday.

Word of Sisto’s hiring followed an announcement earlier this week that Fred Thompson, edging toward a presidential run, had asked to be released from “Law & Order.” Thompson had played New York District Attorney Arthur Branch for five seasons.

The agency’s hiring surge is only for half of the funds generated under SB 1; the other half is going to cities and counties for transportation improvements projects, which are also expected to generate new jobs.